Sinenjongo Xabendlini (23) was convicted and sentenced to life and eighteen years imprisonment for murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition by the Durban High Court on 4 December 2020. The sentence came after the court heard how he killed the deceased and injured his friend at Redcliff in Verulam in November last year.
On 30 November 2019, the victim Sbusiso Blessing Ncana (34) was with his friend at Redcliff in Verulam when they were approached by the suspect who accused both of them of having an affair with his girlfriend. At gunpoint Xabendlini instructed the deceased and his friend to proceed to his girlfriend’s residence. While on the way an alteration occurred between the accused. Ncana was shot at by the accused and he died instantly.
Xabendlini further tried to shoot the deceased’s friend but the firearm jammed. The witness managed to escape without injuries and ran to the police station to report the matter. The accused fled the area immediately after committing the crime. A case of murder was registered at Verulam police station for further investigation.
After a thorough investigation and several attempts to trace the accused, on 16 December 2019 the accused was arrested while he was at a taxi rank. He was taken to the Verulam police station for further processing. Xabendlini made several appearances in different courts while being held in custody and he was finally sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, ten years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, three years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and five years for attempted murder.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula praised the detectives for the sterling investigation and well prepared docket presented to Court which led to the conviction and sentence handed to the accused.
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